What Automated Retail Technologies does

Automated Retail Technologies (ART) is a Sarasota, Florida-based private company founded in 2022 by David Chessler that designs and deploys the Just Baked Smart Bistro kiosk, a fully automated hot-food vending system. The kiosk stores up to 64 frozen branded meals, accepts touchscreen orders, rapidly heats and dispenses each item in under two minutes using proprietary QR-coded trays and a novel automated heating architecture, and operates 24/7 without on-site staff. The hardware is paired with cloud-based POS, real-time inventory and temperature monitoring, AI-driven demand forecasting, and integrations with campus card systems (CBORD, Transact, Atrium), payroll systems (Trove, MMHayes), and major payment networks. ART holds four granted US patents covering vending machine and transport cartridge systems, with additional pending applications including EU and Japanese filings.

ART generates revenue through four streams: recurring transaction fees from every deployed kiosk (claimed 93% gross margin per unit); kiosk hardware sales to third-party owners plus a $200/month service and support fee; brand licensing and white-label arrangements with food brands such as White Castle, Nestlé Toll House, Wow Bao, Hot Pockets, Stouffer's, and Kepak Rustlers; and an active Regulation CF equity crowdfunding raise. The go-to-market relies primarily on enterprise sales embedded within the venue networks of the three largest global foodservice contractors, Sodexo (172,000+ venues), Aramark (90,000+ venues), and Compass Group (55,000+ venues), supplemented by a direct kiosk-ownership program for entrepreneurs and facility operators, and an airport-specific channel via Evolvending.

The company reports 850+ active kiosks deployed across hospitals, universities, airports, casinos, and corporate campuses in the U.S. and U.K., with 400 additional units ready for deployment, 1,000+ on order, and a pipeline of 150 new locations. Cumulative capital raised exceeds $70M over four years, and the company reports 122% year-over-year revenue growth with an 8X+ increase in deployed units since 2022.

Name

Automated Retail Technologies

Legal name

Automated Retail Technologies, LLC

Website

https://automatedrt.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Automated Retail Technologies builds the Just Baked Smart Bistro kiosk, an automated hot-food vending system that serves branded meals in under two minutes without staff. It sells kiosks and earns recurring transaction fees through foodservice contractor and brand-partner channels serving hospitals, universities, airports, and workplaces.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automated Foodservice Equipment / Hot Food Vending

NAICS

Convenience Retailers (445131)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812), Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585)

akta.pro primary industry

Self-Checkout Kiosks & Interactive Retail Kiosks (HDACAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Kiosk & Micro-Format Convenience Retail (CRAHABAD), Frozen Prepared Meals Retail (CRAHAJAE)

Keywords

• Automated food kiosks
• Hot food vending
• Foodservice technology
• Unattended retail systems
• Smart vending machines

Headquarters

HQ city

Sarasota

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Kiosk Transaction Fees / Take Rate: ART collects recurring transaction revenue from every kiosk deployed in the field. Kiosks are manufactured and placed with partners (foodservice operators, venue operators), who run day-to-day operations. ART retains a share of each transaction. The model generates 93% gross margins per kiosk over the unit's operating life. Partners handle stocking, cleaning, and local operations.
2. Hardware / Kiosk Sales: Kiosk units are sold to third-party owners and operators who purchase the Just Baked Smart Bistro hardware. The ownership model offers a path for entrepreneurs and businesses to own and operate kiosks, with ART providing the technology platform, menu, support, and ongoing software services. Additional $200/month Service & Support fee required for kiosk owners.
3. Branding & Licensing Fees: ART generates licensing and branding revenue by enabling food brands (White Castle, Nestlé Toll House, Wow Bao, Hot Pockets, Stouffer's, Kepak Rustlers, Amish Pretzel Co., Toll-House Cookies) to deploy branded kiosk experiences. Brands pay for access to ART's automated retail infrastructure to reach new non-traditional markets without building brick-and-mortar locations.
4. Software & Managed Services: Operators pay a monthly service and support fee ($200/month per the quote page). ART provides real-time inventory reporting, performance analytics, cloud-based POS access, operator portal tools, and on-call support as part of ongoing managed services.
5. Equity Crowdfunding (Reg CF): ART has launched Regulation CF equity crowdfunding rounds to raise capital from retail investors. The company raised over $70M across four years via various funding mechanisms. Current offering uses $1 share price with $1,000 minimum investment, with investor perks including bonus shares and kiosk purchase rebates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Automated Retail Technologies (ART) designs, manufactures, and deploys the Just Baked Smart Bistro kiosk — a self-contained automated hot-food vending system that stores up to 64 frozen branded items and prepares meals in under two minutes via proprietary rapid heating technology and QR-coded tray routing. The company combines the kiosk hardware with a cloud-based POS, AI-driven inventory and demand forecasting, 24/7 4G cellular connectivity, and FDA-compliant temperature monitoring, deploying units primarily through foodservice operator networks (Sodexo, Aramark, Compass Group) and direct third-party ownership.

Product overview

Automated Retail Technologies (ART) offers the Just Baked Smart Bistro kiosk as its core automated foodservice product—a fully self-contained hot food vending machine that stores up to 64 items, prepares meals in under two minutes using rapid heating technology, and operates 24/7 without staff. The portfolio includes co-branded kiosk variants with food brands like White Castle (Crave & Go), Nestlé Toll House Cafe, and Wow Bao. Supporting the hardware are three key software/service platforms: the ART Operator Portal for real-time inventory, sales, and performance monitoring; the Just Baked Marketing Portal for promotional assets; and JustBakedTraining.com for operator education. The company also offers a Kiosk Ownership Program for third-party operators and an ROI Calculator tool for prospect qualification. The business model combines kiosk hardware deployment through foodservice partner networks (Sodexo, Compass, Aramark) with recurring revenue from each unit.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Just Baked: Fully automated hot-food robotic kiosk that delivers brand-name meals in under two minutes without staff. The product line includes Just Baked Smart Bistro kiosks serving various branded food items 24/7.

Products and services

• Just Baked Smart Bistro Kiosk

Quantifiable outcome

• 122% year-over-year revenue growth
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers30 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability4 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• White CastleflagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 22 April 2026White Castle partnered with ART to deploy 1,000 Crave & Go hot-food kiosks across non-traditional locations including hospitals, workplaces, colleges, and corporate campuses. The deployment includes Boston Logan Airport (first automated airport kiosk at Terminal A) and represents one of the most significant commitments by a major QSR brand to kiosk-based expansion in non-traditional settings. White Castle sells four slider varieties through the kiosks: original, classic cheese, cheddar bacon cheese, and chicken and cheese slider.
• EvolvendingflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 April 2026ART and Evolvending announced a strategic partnership to expand 24/7 automated dining across U.S. airports. The partnership combines ART's Just Baked Smart Bistro kiosks with Evolvending's airport dining operations expertise. Units have been deployed at Boston Logan International Airport, Southwest Florida International Airport, and Charleston International Airport, with expansion planned to three additional locations. Nationally recognized brands including White Castle, Wow Bao, and Amish Pretzel Co. are featured. Evolvending owns and operates the kiosks at these airport locations.
• SodexoflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 26 March 2024Sodexo and ART announced a partnership to deploy thousands of Just Baked Smart Bistro kiosks across Sodexo's network of healthcare, education, and corporate client sites in the U.S. The partnership, effective March 26, 2024, covers Sodexo's 172,000+ venue locations. Sodexo is deploying several hundred kiosks over the first year, with ambitions for thousands. Sodexo is particularly excited about the data gathering tools providing real-time consumer purchasing behavior insights. This is ART's first partnership with a major foodservice provider.
• Compass GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorART is partnered with Compass Group — one of the world's three largest foodservice operators (55,000+ venues) — to deploy Just Baked kiosks across Compass's client network. Compass Group is listed as a trusted partner and operator alongside Sodexo and Aramark.
• AramarkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorART partnered with Aramark to introduce 24/7 automated food service via Just Baked kiosks across Aramark's 90,000+ venue network spanning hospitals, universities, and corporate campuses. Before ART, offering 24/7 food meant staffing a costly third shift or relying on unsatisfactory cold snacks. A single Just Baked kiosk replaces overnight cafeterias, serving hot brand-name meals in under two minutes.
• NestlécoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerART partnered with Nestlé to enable automated Nestlé Toll House Cafe kiosks. A Nestlé Toll House Cafe Just Baked Smart Bistro kiosk was launched at George Mason University. Additionally, ART was nominated by Nestlé for the 2026 IFMA Gold & Silver Plate Awards, and Nestlé serves as a key branded foodservice partner for the automated cookie kiosk format.
• Wow BaocoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerART partnered with Wow Bao in 2022 to expand the Asian bao chain's footprint to non-traditional locations via branded Just Baked kiosks. The partnership allows Wow Bao to serve its bao buns through automated kiosks at airports, campuses, and hospitals without traditional restaurant locations.
• Hot PocketsminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerHot Pockets brand is available via ART's Just Baked kiosk ecosystem alongside other branded food options including White Castle sliders, Nestlé products, and Stouffer's entrees.
• Stouffer'sminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerStouffer's brand entrees are available via ART's Just Baked kiosk ecosystem alongside other branded food options.
• Kepak FoodsminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerART partnered with Kepak Foods to enhance the Rustlers brand with Hot Vend Kiosks in the U.K. market, expanding ART's geographic footprint and enabling international branded deployments.
• Amish Pretzel Co.minorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerAmish Pretzel Co. is featured as a nationally recognized food brand partner within the ART and Evolvending airport dining partnership, offering pretzel items through Just Baked Smart Bistro kiosks at airports.
• SyscocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSysco is listed as a distribution partner for ART, enabling product procurement for kiosk operators. Operators can source frozen food inventory through major distributors including Sysco, Vistar, and DOT Foods, folding kiosk inventory into existing ordering routines.
• VistarcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVistar is listed as a distribution partner enabling ART kiosk operators to source frozen meals in proprietary QR-coded packaging for loading into the kiosks.
• DOT FoodsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDOT Foods is listed as a distribution option for ART kiosk operators, alongside Sysco and Vistar, enabling flexible product procurement.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Direct peers

• Piestro: Developer of automated pizza-making kiosks targeting non-traditional retail locations. Competes with ART for venue real estate in airports, malls, and entertainment venues with similar compact-footprint automated food machines.
• Cafe X Technologies: Robotic automated coffee bars deployed in airports and office lobbies. Uses similar kiosk-based, unattended retail architecture as ART and competes for the same airport and corporate real estate.
• Basil Street: Automated pizza vending kiosks that heat and serve pizzas from refrigerated storage. Competes with ART in non-traditional venues like hospitals, universities, and corporate campuses where ART's Wow Bao and Hot Pockets brands overlap.
• Blendid: Robotic smoothie kiosks with AI-driven food preparation for hospitals, universities, and retail. Comparable business model — automated kiosk dispensing food, recurring revenue, and vertical-focused GTM.
• Yo-Kai Express: Automated hot-food vending kiosks dispensing ramen, pho, and other Asian noodles. Directly comparable technology stack — refrigerated storage plus rapid heating — and a similar mission of serving hot meals without kitchen buildouts.
• Farmer's Fridge: Operates refrigerated kiosks in hospitals, airports, and workplaces serving chef-made salads and meals. Comparable to ART's healthcare and corporate customer focus, though Farmer's Fridge emphasizes fresh/chilled items vs. ART's hot-food focus.
• PizzaForno: Automated pizza vending machines operating 24/7 in convenience stores, hospitals, and universities. Directly comparable automated hot-food model with growing presence in similar non-traditional venues.
• Chowbotree (Sally the Salad Robot): Maker of Sally, an automated fresh-food robot that dispenses made-to-order salads and grain bowls. Acquired by Compass Group in 2023, making it both a direct competitor and an entity inside one of ART's flagship channel partners.

Others

• Nayax: Provider of cashless payment and telemetry solutions for the unattended retail industry. While not a direct competitor, Nayax enables many of the same kiosk operators that ART serves and represents a relevant ecosystem/comparable in the unattended retail space.

Broad incumbents

• 365 Retail Markets: Provider of unattended retail technology including micro markets and self-checkout kiosks for workplace, hospitality, and healthcare. A broader incumbent offering wider unattended retail solutions vs. ART's hot-food focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Automated Retail Technologies